Happy Birthday

I can't believe that he is 3 months old already.

I love that smile!

Doesn't he look happy to see you?

Just relaxing.

Am I not the cutest thing you ever saw?

Cabbage Patch Kids

So... Did you ever have a Cabbage Patch Doll?  Well my mom pointed out to me the other day, that I once again have one.  :)  Only mine has more hair!

See the resemblance?

He makes an even better Cabbage Patch face, but it is hard to catch on camera!

Great Accomplishments....and Not So Great Accomplishments!

Warning: This post is not for those who are squeamish.  It may contain material unfit for tender ears, uh... eyes.  Proceed with Caution!

So I haven't posted in awhile, and have several entertaining stories to catch you up on.  They are color coded for your convenience (and my enjoyment!).

I had planned to post today bragging about how Kaden slept 8 hours last Friday night, and has had at least one 6 - 7 hour stretch each night since.  That was until I woke up this morning and realized that my baby boy had been sleeping for 10 hours!  I was shocked, and a little worried that he was still breathing!  Jeremy had just checked on him though and assured me that he was breathing and sleeping soundly.  So if you have ever been a nursing mother... You will understand what comes next.  I felt like I was going to explode!  I had completely soaked through my breast pad and was working on my bed.  It is a good thing skin is tough, otherwise I might have popped... and what a mess that would have been!  After I nursed Kaden I pumped 7 1/2 oz... and only quit then because one of my bottles was full.  Guess I don't need to worry about having enough milk.  :)

Have you ever had a baby boy?  They have this nasty habit of peeing all over everything!  Kaden is a pro.  I can change a diaper with lightening speed, but he is even faster!  The second I get his diaper off he will go.  Well...  it back fired on him the other day as I was getting him ready for bed.  Maybe this is uncouth of me to put in my blog and he will probably be mortified someday, but it was pretty funny!  I pulled his diaper off and lifted his legs as I slid his new one under him...  He jerked funny and I looked up to see him totally showering his face.  Full contact his eyes and mouth were closed and all the little crevices were filled.  Luckily I always keep a towel nearby since he is such a drool monster.  I quickly soaked up all the excess urine and dried his face and hair.  (Then sponge bathed him down)  He didn't get any on the bed this time though.  Of course he was already a little bit cranky and that REALLY ticked him off.  Oh, well.  Maybe he will learn a little bit of control!  Is it bad to find this amusing?

If you have spent much time with Kaden you have probably seen him trying to suck his fingers.  Usually he just sucks on the edge of his fist, but lately as he develops some more coordination he would get a finger or two.

Now he is fairly consistently getting his fingers in his mouth.  These seem to be his favorite ones, although sometimes he goes for his middle two.  Never his thumb though.  His thumb is almost always tucked in, so he never figured out how to get it in his mouth.  I think it is so adorable when babies suck their fingers!  

Righty?

Hmm... So I think Kaden is going to be right handed... Just don't tell his daddy!

Check out how serious he looks!

Wow... there is an elephant in front of me.

I think I will whack him good!

You want a piece of me?

Take that!

I love how focused he gets!

He is really starting to enjoy touching things.

Isn't he cute!

Kickin Fool

Kaden loves to kick.  Whenever I change his diaper we usually spend some time just laying back there playing.  He will kick and punch for over a half an hour sometimes... if I will stay back there and watch him that long.  I guess he is trying to show off.  He gets so excited and proud of himself.  It is too precious.  He is getting to be too aware now, so the video isn't great... whenever I get a camera out he tends to focus on it and not what he was doing now!  You will be able to see the tame version of my kickin fool!  Sorry it is so dark.

Meet More Cousins...

Jacy Lynn

12 years old

Emma Louise

10 years old 

Lily Ann

9 years old

Kaden got to meet his cousins when he was 1 week old.  We took a train to Milton Freewater to spend Christmas.  That was quite the adventure.  Since he was born in the middle of the worst weather we have seen around here in as long as I can remember, we couldn't drive, and our train was delayed.  Just a brief overview... It took almost 4 hours to get to Portland (2 hour maximum drive), our train was delayed so we spent 5 hours in the waiting area (train station waiting areas are full of creepy looking people), and our 4 hour train ride took more like 6 hours.  If you remember that we have a 1 week old baby, you can imagine that it wasn't a very fun experience.  I was exhausted, but it was worth it.  We wanted to make sure our family got to meet Kaden.  We had a wonderful trip, then our train home was canceled so Max (Papa) drove us to Portland.  God Bless him for that!  We miss our Eastern family, but we get to keep in touch via webcams. 

Anyways...  I seem to have gotten distracted!  The girls loved their new cousin to death and there was always a line to hold him when he was done eating.  And as the week went on they got more comfortable holding him and were frequently seen carrying him around the house while they went about their business.  

And the Cradles Cap Saga Concludes...

So just in case you were wondering... the baking soda seemed to do the trick.  It didn't appear to be gone right afterwards, but I was looking at him today and there are just a few tiny little flakes hanging out.  Yay for Amy and her beauty tips!

Meet the Cousins

Malaki William

3 1/2 years old

Lillie Lee

2 1/2 years old

Korinthia Dawn

almost 8 months

Kori and Lillie posing for the camera, Kaden is just wondering what in the world they are doing.

Kaden and Kori love to 'talk' to each other.  Kori is just starting to crawl/scoot around now, so we have to watch her.  She may be smaller than Kaden, but she can still put her fingers in his eyes!

Lillie is such a little 'mommy'.  She loves to help with the babies.  She is always finding a bottle for Ko'i or a blanket for Ka'en.  She fetches diapers and wipes and throws dirty ones away.  Jeni is pretty lucky to have such a willing helper.

Malaki has better things to do then play with the babies, most of the time anyways.  He has a great imagination and you never know what game he will be coming up with.  I'm sure Kaden is going to adore him when he is a little bit older. 

So now you have met the cousins on my side of the family.  I will have to introduce you to the cousins on Jeremy's side of the family very soon.  

First Hair Cut

Before I started

Kaden is one of those lucky babies that was born with a lot of hair... and kept it.  The only problem that I have found with this is that he is only 10 weeks old and his hair covers his ears and is just barely above his eyes.  So... I braved my fear of cutting him, and gave him his first hair cut on February 28th.  

I was hoping to do this while he was asleep, but right as I was getting ready to start his eyes popped open and he looked up at me.  So much for that plan.

I had lots of help.  My sister, Jeni, was taking pictures for me (the only reason I hadn't cut his hair earlier was because I needed someone there to take pictures of this monumental moment!).  Lillie, my niece, supervised and tried to keep his attention with 'her bears'.

Are you sure you know what you're doing Mom?

Kaden behaved wonderfully while I cut around his left ear and only squirmed a little bit when I cut his bangs.

Then came the right ear... by this time he had had enough!  So I picked him up and tried to cuddle him close and keep him still, while my mom cut around his right ear.  We completed the job, just don't look too closely at him!  It is definitely not a very even hair cut.  

He looks older with his new hair cut.

Eyes of a Child (part 2)

Kaden was blessed to receive two of these wonderful little play lands!  

(Thanks to Greg for this one!)  He looked a little bit unsure of this when we first put him in it.

But then his natural curiosity took over and he starting zoning into the different toys...  the purple teething frog seems to be his favorite.  On Sunday he started trying to get the toys!  He concentrates very hard on the toys, then slowly his hand reaches up.  He is getting to where he can bat at them now!  I can't believe how much fun it is to watch him figure out and learn new things.  

The really neat thing about this one is that the frog in the middle plays music.  Well that all by itself wouldn't be that cool because most of these toys have some sort of music maker, but this one... Kaden can make it play all by himself!  Jeremy and I were sitting and talking when all of a sudden the music started, we both jerked our heads up and looked at each other, then looked at Kaden.  He had been batting at the frog and got the frogs little string legs in between his fingers. Then all it takes is a tiny tug and he sings.  He did it several times.  :)  Jeremy and I were grinning from ear to ear!

I am so in love with these things. Kaden will play with his so hard that he puts himself to sleep, no fuss included!  Which means I can get my dishes done (Or this post... which is a lot more fun!).  

So peaceful and precious!